toward the sustainability of cooperative living at purdue ... · toward the sustainability of...

Toward the Sustainability of Cooperative Living at Purdue University

I. Brief History

Purdue University was founded in 1869 as a land-grant university, with the mission of a

providing an affordable education to students in agriculture and the mechanical arts. In

1935, a group of young men moved into a house funded by Reverend William

McFadden. This house, called the Wesley Boys’ House, was the first cooperative house

on Purdue’s campus. By 1940, there were sixteen houses in the cooperative

community, and their mission was to create a cooperative learning environment while

maintaining affordable housing. Students in cooperatives cooked and cleaned for

themselves, elected leaders to manage their day-to-day affairs, and developed

important leadership and life skills as a result. Throughout the years, cooperative

houses have been formed, merged, improved, strengthened, and sadly, some have

been discontinued.

II. Cooperative Living Today

There are currently twelve separate cooperative housing organizations on

Purdue’s campus: five men's houses and seven women’s houses. The oldest house

that still thrives on campus opened its doors in 1936. In total, there are roughly 400

Purdue students that are part of the cooperative community every year. The biggest

organization has a house capacity of 68 members and the smallest organization has a

house capacity of 17 members. Each house is governed by their executive board,

comprised of elected student members of the house that serve in roles including

President, Treasurer, Recruitment Chair, Risk Manager, and Alumni Chair. They enjoy

the fact that they are all student-run, with no “house moms” or “maintenance men.” All of

the cooking, cleaning, budgeting, fixing, planning and other responsibilities are led and

completed by the students. This keeps costs down and makes cooperative housing

amongst the most affordable living options on campus. Most houses also have a

Corporation and/or Alumni board made up of alumni from the specific house. These

boards act like a corporate office for a company. They deal with big picture items and

capital expenses such as a mortgage, large maintenance requirements, and legal

dealings such as insurance and non-profit status. The three boards associated with

each house (Executive Board, PCC, and Corporation Board) all govern different parts of

each organization.

Below are the current Cooperative Houses that make up the Purdue-only Cooperative

Community:

A. Men’s Organizations, year founded and current capacity:

Gemini Cooperative, 1972, 52

Marwood Cooperative, 1936, 26

Circle Pines Cooperative, 1939, 64

Chauncey Cooperative, 1937, 22

Beta Upsilon Chi (formally known as Fairway Cooperative), 1958, 68

B. Women’s Organizations, year founded and current capacity:

Stewart Cooperative, 1986, 33

Maclure Cooperative, 1966, 23

Shoemaker Cooperative, 1938, 39

Ann Tweedale Cooperative, 1937, 40

Twin Pines Cooperative, 1952, 29

Devonshire Cooperative, 1997, 17

Glenwood Cooperative, 1939, 35

III. The Purdue Cooperative Council (PCC)

Within cooperative housing, there is a governing group of student members called the

Purdue Cooperative Council (PCC), comprised of 17 elected board members and 12

house presidents. This group of students guides and somewhat governs the

cooperatives on a year-to-year basis. They coordinate large events in the community

such as philanthropic fundraisers, they assist in the implementation of risk management

policies, they organize the recruitment of new members, and they sponsor an annual

talent show. PCC also provides a link between individual cooperative houses and

Purdue University. The PCC President often meets with Purdue University officials and

other leaders on campus. Other Council members meet regularly with University

administrators such as the Vice President of Risk Management, the Vice President of

Finance and the Vice President of Marketing. The 17 board members are interviewed

and elected by the outgoing Council at the end of the academic year. However, the

house presidents are individually voted on by the members of their own house at the

end of the calendar year. PCC is essential to the unity, tradition, culture and continuity

of the cooperative community.

IV. Purdue’s Office of Fraternity, Sorority and Cooperative Life (FSCL)

The work of the FSCL Office is directed towards creating the conditions for the FSC

community to contribute meaningfully to the institutional mission and supporting the

safety and success of every student. The Purdue FSCL Office supports the FSC

community by building its work around five strategies: Assessment, Personnel, Risk

Prevention, Organization-Level Development, and Housing. Essential functions of the

FSCL Office include:

● Community advocacy

● Alumni, volunteer and community engagement

● Training, development, and coaching for students, alumni and volunteers

● Supporting student self-governance at the individual, chapter, and council level.

● Creating recognition and incentives to celebrate innovative practices that

address university priorities for the student experience.

● Establishing a long-term continuity plan for fraternity, sorority and cooperative

housing that is safe, financially secure, relevant to future generations and

supported by students and stakeholders.

● Partnering with interdisciplinary groups of stakeholders to explore the underlying

causes and contributors of problematic behavior, including The Office of Student

Rights and Responsibilities, Purdue Police, Health and Wellness, the Office of

Institutional Equity, the Center for Advocacy, Response and Education and

other related offices.

● Investing in evidence-based and research-supported strategies for addressing

risky, unhealthy and problematic behavior.

V. History of Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) Involvement

Bruce Pershing of PRF was invited to address the Task Force in January of 2018

regarding the turnover of funds and responsibility from PRF to individual

cooperative house corporations. He provided a history of the Purdue Student

Housing Corporation (PSHC), for which he served as Assistant Treasurer from

1983 to 1996. Residents in each of the nine cooperative houses were considered

members and appointed a director from each house to PSHC, which in turn

elected officers. PSHC served as landlord to the houses, collecting rent, providing

maintenance and establishing a reserve fund for maintenance purposes. In

addition to PSHC, there was also SCA (Student Cooperative Association) which

handled the social aspect of cooperative life, so there was some dual governance.

On 4/30/2000, PSHC was dissolved. The properties were deeded by PRF to the

individual alumni housing corporation boards, and $30,000 was also given to each

of these houses. Chauncey, Devonshire and Marwood, who owned their own

houses, did not receive this money. In addition, a $500,000 endowment was

created to provide scholarships and leadership development opportunities for

members. Rationale for the dissolution included discipline, recruitment and

competition issues, but also that the houses wanted more control.

VI. The Purdue Cooperative Life Task Force

The Purdue Cooperative Life Task Force is a FY 2017-18 ad hoc group comprised

of Student Life Advisory Council members, Student Life staff members, alumni

and student members of cooperative houses. In appointing this group, Vice

Provost for Student Life (VPSL) Dr. Beth McCuskey stated the following:

“There is a long and storied history of cooperative houses at Purdue, and we want

to do everything we can to ensure their successful future.”

Task Force Members:

Bob Miles (Co-Chair), member of Student Life Advisory Council, Fairway Alumnus Bob Mindrum (Co-Chair), VPSL staff member

Skyler Clingan, PCC President Hollyn Culley, PCC Past President, Twin Pines Alumna Brandon Cutler, Director of FSCL Scott Downey, College of Agriculture, former Chauncey Faculty Advisor Mark Diekman, College of Agriculture, Chauncey Alumnus and Advisor Alex Eickholtz, PCC Alumni Relations Chair Briee Landis, former PCC Chair of Alumni Engagement Tom Lester, member of Student Life Advisory Council Joyce Miles, Student Life Advisory Council, Twin Pines Alumna Mark Rosenberger. Past PCC President, Circle Pines Alumnus Chris Skiba, Student Life Director of Capital Projects Task Force Charge:

● Review and analyze the status of current cooperative houses, to include

gender balance, occupancies, capacities, governance/oversight, pricing and

financial stability. A matrix of these and other metrics is recommended for

comparison purposes.

● Recommend a process for assessing the facility needs of the cooperative

houses.

● Identify potential sources of capital to renovate existing houses or

construct new ones. Possibilities may include development/fundraising,

public-private partnerships, etc.

● Develop a financial model(s) that would allow cooperative houses to be

financially sustainable.

● Design a forecasting model based upon perceived demand that would

justify the construction of new cooperative houses.

● Pursue the possibility of themed cooperative houses (e.g., Honors,

International, Assisted Living) or even a Cooperative Village similar to the

Greek Village concept.

Expectations and Deliverables:

● Conduct meetings/conference calls as least monthly beginning in

September, 2017.

● Provide written, quarterly updates on progress.

● Present findings at an onsite meeting prior to June 30, 2018.

● Generate a final, written report by July 31, 2018.

Future Plans:

Once the task force has completed its work and submitted its report and

recommendations, there are plans to initiate an ongoing Cooperative Alumni

Advisory Council, which will move forward to implement the recommendations of

the task force, beginning in the fall of 2018.

VII. Task Force Process

The Task Force met regularly beginning in October of 2017 and completed its

work in August of 2018. A general outline and chronology of their work is shown

below, with references to more detailed documents:

A. A “Clear Purpose” exercise was conducted in December of 2017. Similar to

a SWOT analysis, this exercise helped the task force focus on their charge.

Results are shown in Attachment A.

B. An Assessment Information List was developed to be used in requesting

data about the 12 cooperative houses. See Attachment B.

C. House Self-Assessments by all 12 cooperative houses were conducted at

the request of PCC and were provided to the task force. An example of the

self-assessment is shown in Attachment C.

D. A Data Matrix was developed on 12 key assessment items, to be used for

comparison and discussion purposes. See Attachment D.

E. The Cooperative House Community Assessment Report, similar to the

Data Matrix but including grade point and average cost averages, was

reviewed by the task force. See Attachment E.

F. Team Visits to each of the 12 cooperative houses were conducted, using

teams of two task force members each. Other attendees included the

house advisors, corporate board members and executive board members.

G. SWOT Analyses were developed by the task force teams for each of the 12

houses. Confidentiality of the information was assured, but an aggregate of

the SWOT results is shown in Attachment F.

H. Best Practices for corporate boards, house executive boards and alumni

boards were generated after the team visits. This document is seen as one

of the central results of the task force’s work and critical to the future of

the cooperative houses. See Attachment G.

I. Organizational and Rubric Scales were developed for use by the 12 houses

in assessing their current performance relative to the Best Practices. See

Attachments H and I.

J. A Financial Sustainability Model was developed to assist the houses in

understanding the amount of capital reserve necessary to maintain their

houses long-term. Sensitivity Analyses were also done for each house to

demonstrate the effects of interest income and inflation assumptions in the

model. See Attachments J and K.

K. Building a Case for Alumni Engagement in Cooperative Housing was seen

as a critical step for houses to pursue as they seek support, financial and

otherwise, from their alumni. See Attachment L.

L. A Presentation to the Vice Provost for Student Life (VPSL) was given on

July 25, 2018 in which the task force presented initial findings and

recommendations. See Attachment M.

M. Recommendations/Next Steps

The following items represent the final recommendations and “next steps” to be

undertaken as a result of the task force’s work:

1. Meet with the Purdue Cooperative Council (PCC) in the fall of 2018 to

discuss the white paper, to present the “best practices,” to encourage

the cooperative houses to complete the rubric and organizational scales

as part of their self-assessment efforts and start implementation, and to

answer any questions.

2. Meet with house presidents at the PCC President’s Meeting to present

the individual SWOT analyses, the financial sustainability model, and the

attendant sensitivity analyses relative to interest income and inflation

assumptions.

3. Present the best practices and financial sustainability information to a

joint meeting of corporate/alumni board members and respond to

questions.

4. Encourage Purdue Admissions and University Residences to provide

information on cooperative houses to “overflow” students who cannot

readily gain access to residence halls.

5. Encourage PCC and the individual cooperative houses to update their

websites and to utilize a common branding and unified message about

cooperative living.

6. Establish an ongoing Student Life Cooperative Advisory Council to

implement the task force recommendations and to provide ongoing

support for cooperative living.

7. Determine the proper level of assistance, coordination and collaboration

needed from the newly formed Cooperative Advisory Council, the FSCL

staff, the Purdue Cooperative Council, the house executive boards, and

the house corporate/alumni boards in order to efficiently and effectively

support cooperative living at Purdue.

The Purdue Cooperative Life Task Force wishes to thank all 12 of the cooperative

houses, their advisors and their corporate/alumni board representatives for their

assistance and involvement in this process. Through the implementation of the

Best Practices and careful consideration of their individual finances, and with

assistance and support from the Cooperative Advisory Council and the FSCL

Office, we believe that the legacy of cooperative living at Purdue can be sustained

for many years to come. We also thank the Vice Provost for Student Life, Dr. Beth

McCuskey, for her vision and commitment to this process.

Attachment G

COOPERATIVE LIFE BEST PRACTICES

I. Corporate Board

A. General ● Make “Corporate Board” the formal name (i.e., versus Alumni Board)

unless the house has both of these entities. ● Establish a sound business and corporate board model. ● Hold meetings with house E-Board at least biannually. ● Establish guidelines to indicate which services, repairs and replacements

are corporate responsibilities versus house responsibilities. ● Prepare the long-range plan (see Item C). ● Provide the house with a list of recommended vendors and service

companies. ● Develop an atmosphere of transparency and trust with house members,

including the following: - Establish monthly fees and explain to house members how they

were derived, including allowances to reserve. - Include the house president and treasurer on the corporate board,

with voting privileges if possible. - Share corporate financial reports with house members.

● Meet annually with corporate representatives from all of the cooperative houses to discuss like problems and solutions.

● Review service contacts (e.g., trash pickup, telephone, cable, internet, insurance, etc.) on a regular basis to ensure cost and quality, and renegotiate if possible.

B. Finances

Attachment G

● Review annual house operating budget and provide feedback to house E-Board.

● Develop an agreement with house E-Board as to which items are included in the house operating budget and which items are in the corporate budget.

● Maintain separate financial accounts for the corporate board and house. ● Provide a template to the house treasurer that generates budget-to-actual

reporting on at least a quarterly basis. ● Provide the house treasurer with a state tax-exempt card for making

purchases. ● Arrange for annual financial audits of both house and corporate books by

a third party (not necessarily a CPA – could be the house advisor). ● Develop a fundraising philosophy and an action plan.

C. Long Range Planning

● Develop a long-range plan for maintenance to include the expected life of

the item and the repair or replacement costs. A partial list is as follows: o Roof o Plumbing upgrade o Electrical upgrade o Painting (inside and out) o Parking lot repair o Appliances o Heating, ventilating and air conditioning o Interior furnishings

● Utilize the attached financial model that incorporates the age of the house, square footage, general condition and current reserves as a guide for the long-range plan.

● Determine the reserve required to meet ongoing capital needs and establish a plan to work toward establishing the appropriate reserve (may entail increasing monthly fees).

Attachment G

D. Insurance

● Review and comply with the University’s requirements for liability insurance.

● Provide Officers and Directors insurance for both house and corporate boards.

● Review insurance for replacement value. ● Explore possibility of all houses purchasing insurance from the same

company to achieve better rates. II. House Executive Board

A. General . ● Make the House Alumni chairman a member of E-Board. ● Have E-Board officers serve on an annual basis, or at least the president

and treasurer. ● Develop and maintain a checklist for opening and closing the house. ● Develop and/or review manuals for each officer and committee chair that

are updated annually and passed on to the successor. ● Encourage members to take an active role in house repairs and

maintenance. ● Consider having members and house share 50/50 toward the cost of

approved, individual room projects. ● Establish a plan to monitor the house during breaks when the house is

vacant, particularly during winter break and summer.

B. House Operations

Attachment G

● Ensure attendance at officer training sessions conducted by the PCC. ● Develop and/or review manual for house rules. ● Develop and/or review manual for house duties. ● Have all kitchen workers trained and certified in ServeSafe.

C. Promotion and Recruitment

● Participate in as many campus-wide events as possible to promote

cooperative living. ● Notify alumni of recruitment dates and encourage them to spread the

word in their local areas. ● Advise high school guidance counselors of recruitment dates and request

their assistance. ● Encourage members to invite their friends and classmates to participate

in recruitment. ● Utilize social media and websites to inform students and prospective

students about cooperative living. ● Encourage Purdue Admissions to provide information on cooperative

living to overflow students. Seek assistance from the Vice Provost for Student Life.

III. Alumni Board

Note: if the house does not have a separate alumni board, the responsibilities below would fall to the corporate board.

● Provide training on alumni relations and fundraising. ● Host an alumni dinner/event to welcome the graduating seniors into the

alumni group. ● Host pledge class annual reunions at the house to better engage alumni. ● Publish a monthly electronic newsletter to inform alumni of house

activities, awards, etc. and to keep them engaged.

Attachment G

● Develop an alumni board. ● Have the pledge class utilize composite pictures to update the alumni list

and work with the PAA to obtain current emails. ● Keep alumni aware of house needs and encourage them to help with

fundraising efforts to meet those needs.

Attachment H

COOPERATIVE LIFE BEST PRACTICES RUBRIC

I. Corporate Board A. General

i. Make “Corporate Board” the formal name (i.e., versus Alumni Board) unless the house has both entities.

orporation Board exists. House members are the

only entities of the organization.

ual alumni are present in the business function of

the house, but an established board does

not exist.

oration Board exists but lacks functionality as a

business entity.

ration Board functions as the formal entity and

manages alumni business.

ration Board and Alumni Board are both established and

functioning independently

1 2 3 4 5

ii. Establish a sound business and corporate board model.

poration Board exists and there is not established

business model.

d is established but has no developed business

model.

oration Board exists and handles business as it is

presented.

oration Board functions under a model, but the

model is not clearly established will all

entities.

rporation Board has a developed model that is

communicated and followed by Board Members and the

House.

1 2 3 4 5

iii. Hold meetings with house E-Board at least biannually.

poration board is meeting. oration Board is meeting occasionally, but little

to no current house member is involved.

orporation Board has an established meeting schedule (annual or

biannual) with minimal house participation.

orporation Board has an established meeting schedule (annual or

biannual) with house member present and

participating.

poration Board meets biannually with

members of the house and the Executive Board with equal

participation by all parties.

1 2 3 4 5

Page | 1 of 14

Attachment H


iv. Establish guidelines to indicate which services, repairs and replacements are corporate

responsibilities versus house responsibilities.

ar understanding between corporation

responsibilities and house responsibilities.

ingle entity, house or corporation, hold all the

responsibility for services, repairs and

replacements.

esponsibilities are divided between the house and corporation, but clarity of the responsibilities

lacks.

e and Corporation share responsibilities on

services, repairs and replacements.

nd established guidelines between house

responsibilities and corporation

responsibilities.

1 2 3 4 5

v. Prepare the long-range plan (see Item C).

long-range plan exists. capacity to develop a long-range plan exists, but no plan has been

established.

standing of the need for a long-range plan, but no

clear plan has been established.

range plan is established, but responsibilities to

achieve the plan is unclear.

-range plan is established with clear

responsibilities for the house and corporation.

1 2 3 4 5

vi. Provide the house with a list of recommended vendors and service companies.

of recommended venders or service companies

exists.

on the house is delayed due to a lack of vendor

knowledge.

problem arises, the house has some information to

begin to remedy the problem.

of recommended vendors exists but is not

wholesome for the issues managed by the

house.

A wholesome list of recommended vendors is provided to the house

including multiple sources.

1 2 3 4 5

Page | 2 of 14

Attachment H


vii. Develop an atmosphere of transparency and trust with house members, including the following:

- Establish monthly fees and explain to house members how they were derived, including allowances to reserve.

- Include the house president and treasurer on the corporate board, with voting privileges if possible.

- Share corporate financial reports with house members.

and Corporation boards operate independently from one another with

no communication.

e and Corporation board with primarily

independently, however occasional

collaboration and communication exists.

and Corporation boards work together on a

limited basis. House members have no voting privileges on the board.

Limited reports are provided between the

two boards.

and Corporation boards primarily work together.

Communication between the boards is

established but limited. House member have

limited privileges on the Corporation board.

and Corporation boards work alongside each

other with mutual oversight and reporting.

1 2 3 4 5

viii. Meet annually with corporate representatives from all of the cooperative houses to discuss like

problems and solutions.

rporation board works independently from all

other organizations.

ation Board has a limited understanding of how

other corporation board operate, but no

communication with other boards.

when a problem arises, the Corporation Board may discuss problems and solutions with other cooperative houses.

ation Board occasionally discusses problems and solutions with members

of other house corporation boards.

ation representatives has an established schedule for meeting with other

corporation representatives to

discuss problems and solutions.

1 2 3 4 5

ix. Review service contacts (e.g., trash pickup, telephone, cable, internet, insurance, etc.) on a regular

basis to ensure cost and quality and renegotiate if possible.

Page | 3 of 14

Attachment H


vice contracts are not reviewed by members of

the house or by the Corporation Board.

members independently review service contacts on an intermittent basis.

hen advised by house members, the

Corporation Board will review service contracts and provide feedback.

poration board reviews service contracts, but

rarely handles renegotiation.

ation Board has a regular review period for all service contracts and

handles renegotiation if required.

1 2 3 4 5

B. Finances i. Review annual house operating budget and provide feedback to house E-Board.

erating budget exists, and knowledge of house operating expenses is

limited.

derstanding of the house operating income and

expenses exist but there is no clear annual

budget.

omplete annual house operating budget exists and is managed solely

by the house.

rporation Board views the house operating budget

irregularly and/or feedback is limited.

nual operating budget for the house exists and is regularly reviewed by the Corporation Board.

1 2 3 4 5

ii. Develop an agreement with house E-Board as to which items are included in the house operating budget and which items are in the corporate budget.

get for either organization exists.

get exists but items may not be distinctly

divided between house and corporate budgets.

Budget items are divided between the house and corporate

budget.

are split between budgets with an understanding, but no acknowledged

agreement.

agreement between the E-Board and the

Corporation Board exists with an

understanding of how items are divided.

1 2 3 4 5

iii. Maintain separate financial accounts for the corporate board and house.

nancial records are kept. cial records are kept but not maintained.

Financial records are kept and maintained

together.

ancial records are kept independently but managed together.

orporate Board and house keep and maintain

independently financial records.

1 2 3 4 5

Page | 4 of 14

Attachment H


iv. Provide a template to the house treasurer that generates budget-to-actual reporting on at least a quarterly basis.

financial planning or reporting exists.

al reporting happens, but only on an as needed

basis with no template or guidance.

Boards report financial information, but development is

determined by the individual preparing the

records.

ncial reporting is done through a provided

template but not on an established basis.

s provide templates and report on a quarterly

basis.

1 2 3 4 5

v. Provide the house treasurer with a state tax-exempt card for making purchases.

se is not registered for non-profit tax

exemption.

use is tax exempt but seldomly uses the

exemption status and does not have an exemption card.

Board maintains the tax exemption card and is used occasionally on

purchases.

reasurer understands state tax-exemption status

and utilizes it on purchases but does not

have a card.

se treasurer has a state tax-exempt card and

utilized it when making all purchases.

1 2 3 4 5

vi. Arrange for annual financial audits of both house and corporate books by a third party (not

necessarily a CPA – could be the house advisor).

ancial records for are kept and audits exist.

cial records are kept, but are seldom, if ever,

audited.

Financial audits are completed internally

between the house and the corporation.

cial audits are completed by a third party, but on

a periodic basis.

ncial audits for both the corporation and house

are completed by a third party on an annual

basis.

1 2 3 4 5

vii. Develop a fundraising philosophy and an action plan.

ancial philosophy or plan exists

rganization operates financially but lacks

knowledge of a philosophy and a plan.

Organization operates without either a

financial philosophy or an action plan.

nization has a financial philosophy and plan,

but lack is implementation.

nization has a developed financial philosophy with an implemented

action plan.

1 2 3 4 5

Page | 5 of 14

Attachment H


Page | 6 of 14

Attachment H


C. Long Range Planning i. Develop a long-range plan for maintenance to include the expected life of the item and the repair or

replacement costs. A partial list is as follows: o Roof o Plumbing upgrade o Electrical upgrade o Painting (inside and out) o Parking lot repair o Appliances o Heating, ventilating and air conditioning o Interior furnishings

nowledge or plan of item life exists, and repairs

are cumbersome.

r repair and maintenance of items happen on an as needed basis. No long-term plan is in

place.

wledge of proper item maintenance, repair and

replacement exists.

an exists but may not be wholesome or

implemented fully.

stablished maintenance, repair, and replacement

plan exists and is implemented for all

necessary elements of the house.

1 2 3 4 5

ii. Utilize the attached financial model that incorporates the age of the house, square footage, general condition and current reserves as a guide for the long-range plan.

ong-term reserve exists. s exists to cover capital needs for the house, but no plan to maintain the

fund exists.

ficient fund exists and is managed, but a financial model for development

does not exist.

and reserve exist but may not be wholesome or implemented fully.

r the attached plan, or a similar plan is utilized

to plan and finance capital needs for the

organization. The reserve is established

and provides security to the house.

1 2 3 4 5

Page | 7 of 14

Attachment H


iii. Determine the reserve required to meet ongoing capital needs and establish a plan to work toward

establishing the appropriate reserve (may entail increasing monthly fees)

ong-term reserve exists. erve exists but does not cover ongoing capital

needs. No plan for establishing and

maintaining a reserve exists.

icient fund exists and but lack a plan for

utilization.

and reserve exist but may not be wholesome or implemented fully.

ished reserve with a plan for reserve growth and use for capital needs.

1 2 3 4 5

D. Insurance i. Review and comply with the University’s requirements for liability insurance .

ability insurance exists lity insurance exists but does not meet

university requirements.

ty insurance exists but the university requirements

are unknown and not reviewed.

ty insurance policy once complied with

University requirement, but requirements are not

reviewed.

ersity requirements for liability insurance are often reviewed and are met by current policy.

1 2 3 4 5

ii. Provide officers and directors insurance for both house and corporate boards.

nsurance policy exists nce policy covers limited individual on the house

or corporate boards.

ce covers members of the corporate board

members, but no house officers.

ce covers corporate board members and a limited

number of house officers.

urance for officers and directors for both house

and corporate boards exist.

1 2 3 4 5

iii. Review insurance for replacement value.

nce policy does not exist rance policy exist, but replacement value is unknown and/or may

not be covered.

rance policy exists and covers the replacement

value but is never reviewed.

urance policy covers replacement value but is

seldomly reviewed.

ce completely covers the replacement value and

is consistently reviewed.

Page | 8 of 14

Attachment H


1 2 3 4 5

iv. Explore possibility of all houses purchasing insurance from the same company to achieve better

rates.

e does not have a current insurance policy.

insurance coverage and records is unknown.

use has an individual insurance policy;

however it may have high rates.

use has an individual insurance policy with

acceptable rates.

use is a part of a group insurance policy which

reduces rates.

1 2 3 4 5

Page | 9 of 14

Attachment H


II. House Executive Board A. General

i. Make the House Alumni Chairman a member of E-Board.

does not have an Alumni Chairman position.

use elects an Alumni Chairman, but there are no clear responsibilities

for the position.

has an Alumni Chairman, but the position

seldomly meets the responsibilities

has an Alumni Chairman that accomplishes

responsibilities but is not a member of the

Executive Board.

e Alumni Chairman is successful in fulfilling responsibilities and is a contributing member to

the E-Board.

1 2 3 4 5

ii. Have E-Board officers serve on an annual basis, or at least the president and treasurer.

ouse officers serve for an annual term.

e house officers by be elected for an year long term, but may or may not be on the E-Board.

President and Treasurer serve on the Executive

Board on an annual basis.

officers on the E-Board serve for an annual

term, but not all.

members of the House Executive Board serve together for the same

annual term.

1 2 3 4 5

iii. Develop and maintain a checklist for opening and closing the house.

s no process for routinely checking the house

before, during, and/or after long breaks.

on-formal process for opening and closing the

house exists but may not be an assigned

responsibility.

ouse regularly opens and closes the house during breaks, and an officer or

member has the responsibility to check the house status, but no

formal checklist.

e has a checklist for the opening and closing procedures for the

house and the responsibility is

assigned to a member/officer, but

checklist is outdated or irrelevant.

use has an established opening and closing

procedure checklist that is regularly maintained

and updated.

1 2 3 4 5

Page | 10 of 14

Attachment H


iv. Develop and/or review manuals for each officer and committee chair that are updated annually and passed on to the successor.

nsition between officers or chairs currently exists.

itions between officers only exists at the will of

the transitioning officers and no manual

or documentation is passed.

sitions between officers exists and manuals are passed, but seldomly

explained to new officer.

cer transitions include discussion the position

and the passing of a manual or

documentation, but manual is seldomly

updated.

er transition is a formal process with discussion

between officers and retiring officer regularly

update the manual during their term.

1 2 3 4 5

v. Encourage members to take an active role in house repairs and maintenance.

air and maintenance is seldomly occurs in the

house.

and maintenance occur, but members are

seldomly involved.

irs and maintenance are handled solely by a officer of the house.

repairs and maintenance is completed

exclusively by a few members of the house.

ers take an active role is the regular repair and

maintenance of the house.

1 2 3 4 5

vi. Consider having members and house share 50/50 toward the cost of approved, individual room

projects.

ual improvement projects are discouraged in the

house.

mbers are exclusively required to cover all

cost associated with an individual room improvement.

has an approval process for individual rooms improvements, but

members cover all cost.

dual room improvement project have an

approval process and house seldomly covers

approved costs.

ers and the house share a 50/50 cost for

individual room improvement projects, and projects have an

approval process.

1 2 3 4 5

vii. Establish a plan to monitor the house during breaks when the house is vacant, particularly during

winter break and summer.

e is left unoccupied and unmonitored during

breaks.

e is seldomly monitored during breaks and no plan is established.

s always occupied during breaks, but no plan for monitoring the house

exists and no individual is responsible.

e is monitored over the summer by individuals, but no established plan

exists.

n established plan for monitoring the house

during breaks is established and

Page | 11 of 14

Attachment H


individuals hold the responsibility.

1 2 3 4 5

B. House Operations

i. Ensure attendance at officer training sessions conducted by the PCC.

use never attends PCC conducted officer

trainings.

e mentions PCC officer training sessions, but individual decide to

attend.

rs attend officer training sessions conducted by PCC but attendance is

not monitored or enforced

e officers attend officer training sessions

conducted by PCC and lack of attendance is

enforced.

regularly attends officer training sessions

conducted by PCC with complete attendance

from officers.

1 2 3 4 5

ii. Develop and/or review manual for house rules.

tandard for house rules exists.

rules exist but are either not followed or are not

in a form to be reviewed.

use rules exist and are followed but are

seldomly reviewed and/or revised.

rules are followed and are regularly reviewed and

revised.

e rules are kept within a manual and a process

for regular reviewal and revision of the rules

exists.

1 2 3 4 5

iii. Develop and/or review manual for house duties.

andard for house duties exists.

duties exist but are either not followed or are not

in a form to be reviewed.

use duties exist and are followed but are

seldomly reviewed and/or revised.

duties are followed and are regularly reviewed and revised, but lack

accountability.

duties are kept within a manual and a process

for regular reviewal and revision of the duties exists, along with a

procedure for accountability.

1 2 3 4 5

Page | 12 of 14

Attachment H


iv. Have all kitchen workers trained and certified in ServeSafe.

dividuals in the house are certified in ServeSafe.

a few members of the house are trained and certified in ServeSafe.

le members of the house are trained and certified in ServeSafe but are not

always present in the kitchen during preparation.

l workers are trained and certified in ServeSafe,

but at least one certified individual is in the

kitchen at all working times.

chen workers are trained and certified in

ServeSafe.

1 2 3 4 5

C. Promotion and Recruitment i. Participate in as many campus-wide events as possible to promote cooperative living.

se never participates in campus-wide events and

promotion is not a priority.

e promotes cooperative living, but seldomly

participated in campus-wide events.

mandatory campus-wide events are participated

in by the house.

e regularly participate in campus-wide events, but solely promote

house interests rather than cooperative living.

participates in numerous campus wide events and

promotes all of cooperative living.

1 2 3 4 5

ii. Notify alumni of recruitment dates and encourage them to spread the word in their local areas.

are never contacted about the recruitment process.

mni are notified about recruitment but only after the process is

complete.

mni are informed about recruitment but are not instructed on how they

can help.

lumni are notified of recruitment and are

encouraged to spread the word to their

communities.

ni are regularly informed about cooperative

recruitment and are active in spreading the

word.

1 2 3 4 5

iii. Advise high school guidance counselors of recruitment dates and request their assistance.

Page | 13 of 14

Attachment H


e does not have an active role is spreading

recruitment dates.

individually reaches out to their communities

about recruitment dates, but never within high

schools.

ers of the house reach out to their personal

guidance counselors and schools about

recruitment dates.

se actively participates alongside PCC is

discussing recruitment with high school

guidance counselors.

e actively participates in discussing with high

school guidance counselors about

cooperative living and how they can advise

students.

1 2 3 4 5

iv. Encourage members to invite their friends and classmates to participate in recruitment.

ers do not have an active role is spreading

recruitment dates.

embers only discuss cooperative recruitment

when prompted by friends or classmates.

bers often talk to friends and classmates about cooperative living but don’t reach out about

recruitment.

mbers share recruitment information with their friends and classmates.

members personally reach out to their current and

past friends and classmates with an

invite to cooperative recruitment and

encourage them to participate.

1 2 3 4 5

v. Utilize social media and websites to inform students and prospective students about cooperative living.

and members do not have an active role is

spreading recruitment dates.

embers only discuss cooperative living and recruitment on social

media when prompted.

ers often use social media to share their

cooperative living message, but the house

lacks a social media presence.

mbers and the house use social media to share

about cooperative living.

ers and the house have an active presence on

social media and work to inform student about cooperative living and

recruitment.

1 2 3 4 5

vi. Encourage Purdue Admissions to provide information on cooperative living to overflow students.

Seek assistance from the Vice Provost for Student Life.

Page | 14 of 14

Attachment H


use seldomly fills with cooperative recruitment

and no additional actions are taken to fill

available spots.

is open to fill open spots when approached, but never actively reaches

out.

e independently tries to reach out to overflow

students about cooperative living

availabilities.

use understands how admissions and the Vice Provost office could be

utilized but would seldom reach out in

times of need.

use understands how admissions and the Vice Provost office could be utilized and is willing to work with those offices

in times of need.

1 2 3 4 5

Page | 15 of 14

Attachment H


III. Alumni Board

Note: if the house does not have a separate alumni board, the responsibilities below would fall to the corporate board.

i. Provide training on alumni relations and fundraising.

aining or communication between alumni and

house exists.

d hold responsibility for alumni relations and fundraising but lack training and follow through with one or

both.

ard handles all alumni relations and

fundraising without training members.

ber are trained on alumni relations and

fundraising, but are not active in participating.

relations and fundraising are actively pursued by the Board and member

are often trained on how they can help.

1 2 3 4 5

ii. Host an alumni dinner/event to welcome the graduating seniors into the alumni group.

ommunication between alumni and house exists.

ni board has not role in welcoming member to the alumni group. It is left to the will of the graduating members.

aduating members are informally welcomed to

the group.

ting seniors are welcomed to the alumni through a

personal correspondence.

i Board regularly host an event to formally

welcome graduating seniors as alumni.

1 2 3 4 5

iii. Host pledge class annual reunions at the house to better engage alumni.

m communication between pledge classes exist after

graduation.

ons of pledge classes are seldom to occur.

dge classes often hold reunions but never at the

house.

ge Class regularly hold reunions at the house,

but current members of the house are seldomly

engaged.

ge Class regularly hold reunions at the house and members of the house are actively

engaged in the event.

1 2 3 4 5

Page | 16 of 14

Attachment H


iv. Publish a monthly electronic newsletter to inform alumni of house activities, awards, etc. and to keep

them engaged.

ommunication between alumni and members.

ni are seldomly informed of house activities,

awards, etc.

i are periodically engaged in house business via

occasional newsletters.

and house independently publish newsletters.

mni Board and house members collaborate to

regularly publish an electronic newsletter.

1 2 3 4 5

v. Develop an alumni board.

andling alumni relations exists.

use Alumni Chairman individually handles all

alumni relations.

lumni Chairman and Corporation board are

the sole entities handling alumni

relations.

ndividual alumni board exists, but seldomly

handles alumni relations.

mni board is established with clear expectations

on how to handle alumni relations.

1 2 3 4 5

vi. Have the pledge class utilize composite pictures to update the alumni list and work with the Purdue

Alumni Association to obtain current contact information.

alumni information is gathered or kept.

ystem for gathering and storing alumni

information exists, but some source

(composites) of alumni names exist.

mni list is established but is seldomly used or

updates.

e classes independently work to update alumni

information.

ge classes are actively engaged working with

the Alumni Association to update alumni list.

1 2 3 4 5

vii. Keep alumni aware of house needs and encourage them to help with fundraising efforts to meet

those needs.

Page | 17 of 14

Attachment H


ommunication between alumni and members.

i are seldom informed of fundraising efforts and

needs.

ni are informed of house fundraising efforts but seldom understand the

needs.

umni are informed of fundraising efforts and

needs.

ni are often informed of house fundraising

efforts and needs, and actively participate in

efforts.

1 2 3 4 5

Page | 18 of 14

Attachment I

COOPERATIVE LIFE BEST PRACTICES Organizational scale

I. Corporate Board a. General

i.Make “Corporate Board” the

formal name (i.e., versus Alumni

Board) unless the house has both

of these entities

ii.Establish a sound business and

corporate board model.

iii.Hold meetings with house

E-Board at least biannually.

iv.Establish guidelines to indicate

which services, repairs and

replacements are corporate

responsibilities versus house

responsibilities.

v.Prepare the long-range plan (see

Item C).

vi.Provide the house with a list of

recommended vendors and

service companies.

vii.Develop an atmosphere of

transparency and trust with house

members, including the

following:

● Establish monthly fees and

explain to house members

how they were derived,

including allowances to

reserve.

● Include the house president

and treasurer on the

corporate board, with

voting privileges if

possible.

● Share corporate financial

reports with house

members.

viii.Meet annually with corporate

representatives from all of the

cooperative houses to discuss like


ix. Review service contacts (e.g.,

trash pickup, telephone, cable,

internet, insurance, etc.) on a

regular basis to ensure cost and

quality and renegotiate if possible.

b. Finances

i.Review annual house operating

budget and provide feedback to

house E-Board.

ii.Develop an agreement with house

E-Board as to which items are

included in the house operating

budget and which items are in the

corporate budget.

iii.Maintain separate financial

accounts for the corporate board

and house.

iv.Provide a template to the house

treasurer that generates

budget-to-actual reporting on at

least a quarterly basis.

v.Provide the house treasurer with a

state tax-exempt card for making

purchases.

vi.Arrange for annual financial audits

of both house and corporate books

by a third party (not necessarily a

CPA – could be the house

advisor).

vii.Meet annually with corporate

representatives from all of the

cooperative houses to discuss like


viii. Develop a fundraising philosophy

and an action plan.

c. Long Range Planning

i.Develop a long-range plan for

maintenance to include the

expected life of the item and the

repair or replacement costs. A

partial list is as follows:

● Roof

● Plumbing upgrade

● Electrical upgrade

● Painting (inside and out)

● Parking lot repair

● Appliances

● Heating, ventilating and air

conditioning

● Interior furnishings

ii.Utilize the attached financial

model that incorporates the age of

the house, square footage, general

condition and current reserves as a

guide for the long-range plan.

iii.Determine the reserve required to

meet ongoing capital needs and

establish a plan to work toward

establishing the appropriate

reserve (may entail increasing

monthly fees).

d. Insurance

i.Review and comply with the

University’s requirements for

liability insurance.

ii.Provide officers and directors

insurance for both house and

corporate boards.

iii.Review insurance for replacement

value.

iv.Explore possibility of all houses

purchasing insurance from the

same company to achieve better

rates.

II House Executive Board

e. General

i.Make the House Alumni chairman

a member of E-Board.

ii.Have E-Board officers serve on an

annual basis, or at least the

president and treasurer.

iii.Maintain separate financial

accounts for the corporate board

and house.

iv.Develop and maintain a checklist

for opening and closing the house.

v.Develop and/or review manuals

for each officer and committee

chair that are updated annually and

passed on to the successor.

vi.Encourage members to take an

active role in house repairs and

maintenance.

vii.Consider having members and

house share 50/50 toward the cost

of approved, individual room

projects.

viii.Establish a plan to monitor the

house during breaks when the

house is vacant, particularly during

winter break and summer.

f. House Operations

i.Ensure attendance at officer

training sessions conducted by the

PCC.

ii.Develop and/or review manual for

house rules.

iii.Develop and/or review manual for

house duties.

iv.Have all kitchen workers trained

and certified in ServeSafe.

g. Promotion and Recruitment

i.Participate in as many

campus-wide events as possible to

promote cooperative living.

ii.Notify alumni of recruitment dates

and encourage them to spread the

word in their local areas.

iii.Advise high school guidance

counselors of recruitment dates and

request their assistance.

iv.Encourage members to invite their

friends and classmates to participate

in recruitment.

v.Utilize social media and websites to

inform students and prospective

students about cooperative living.

vi.Encourage Purdue Admissions to

provide information on cooperative

living to overflow students. Seek

assistance from the Vice Provost for

Student Life.

II. Alumni Board **Note: if the house does not have a separate alumni board, the responsibilities below would fall to the

corporate board.

i.Provide training on alumni

relations and fundraising.

ii.Host an alumni dinner/event to

welcome the graduating seniors

into the alumni group.

iii.Host pledge class annual reunions

at the house to better engage

alumni.

iv.Publish a monthly electronic

newsletter to inform alumni of

house activities, awards, etc. and

to keep them engaged.

v.Develop an alumni board.

vi.Keep alumni aware of house needs

and encourage them to help with

fundraising efforts to meet those

needs.

Attachment L

Building a Case for Alumni Engagement in Cooperative Housing

It’s a great time to be a Boilermaker! A Purdue degree is highly valued all

over the world! The football program has turned the corner! The basketball

program is top ten ranked. Students are paying less for their Purdue

education, and those in cooperative housing are paying even less! President

Daniels regards cooperative living as not only an affordable place to stay but

an excellent educational experience.

In October, Vice Provost for Student Life, Dr. Beth McCuskey, expressed her

support with this comment: “ There is a long and storied history of cooperative houses at Purdue, and we want to do everything we can to ensure their successful future.” However, as cooperative housing continues

to face numerous challenges, it becomes increasingly obvious that strong

alumni networks can provide invaluable resources. Alumni connections

across all 12 cooperative houses are limited in many instances. Knowing

cooperative alumni already have a strong affinity for Purdue and specifically

their house, what are some of the “Best Practice” strategies that could be

employed?

● Develop an alumni database

● Create electronic newsletter

Include current house member news

Include alumni member updates

Include house challenges-remodeling/renovations

Include house GPA and other honors to the house

● Invite alumni to house events

● Encourage alumni to visit during Homecoming

● Develop ongoing task force of alumni to assist with engagement

activities

● Consider an alumni mentoring of current members

● Establish social media page where alumni and current members

can share stories, photos and information

● Ask alumni in the greater Lafayette area to attend house

meetings

● Invite alumni to house clean up, landscaping, etc.

● Each house appoint a current member as an Alumni liaison

● Create an alumni visit folder with FAQs for members to reference

if needed

● Establish an alumni mentoring program within the house new

membership program

Why would a cooperative house want to expend the time,

energy and resources to engage alumni?

Engaged alumni have resources and are the most obvious supporters of their own house. However, asking for money the first (or only) time you contact them, does not yield the best return. Engaging alumni in as many touch points as possible before you need monetary assistance will certainly guarantee a better return. Many alumni aren’t engaged simply because no one has ever reached out to them once they leave Purdue. The Purdue Alumni office has a database of cooperative alumni and a staff person whose goal is to engage more cooperative alumni. The Alumni office also has other resources that could work together to support the current houses and their alumni.

Alumni have valuable history about the house and can be instrumental in making sure the legacies are passed down through the years. Our oldest cooperative houses are over 80 years old and are part of Purdue’s rich history. Failure to engage alumni may result in losing an important aspect of cooperative history.

Assessment for House Alumni Engagement

This should be used to evaluate and improve certain aspects of your house’s alumni engagement and connections. Reassess this scale one year after implementing any of the above recommendations.

Strongly Disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

Our house has an alumni database that is easily accessible to house members.

Our house has regular engagement with alumni through dinners, homecoming, or meeting attendance.

Our house is supported by our alumni.

Our alumni donate to our house with time or financial resources.

We should have more alumni engagement.

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